gardeners world

I enjoy the programme and do find it very helpful as i'm a beginner, but just wish it was on for an hour : )
Scott Edwards

22 Mar 2014 18:41

I haven't criticised any of the presenters - I personally like them all. I have only expressed a personal belief that if GW want to attract new viewers who are just starting their journey into the joys of gardening they need to cover the basics and assume that many people will have little or no prior knowledge.

Hi Scott - I think you've made some good points in your earlier post, but I think it's quite a task to decide just how "basic" any advice needs to be. For example, if you compare a programme about gardening with one about cookery, I don't think people would expect to be told (in a cookery programme) what a hen's egg looks like or which is a chicken wing or a leg!

I think almost all of us would like to see a longer programme - or even more than one per week. It would be simple to have one about growing vegetables, for example, and another about flowering plants and shrubs. Both quite different, but with lots of things in common as regards soil type/preparation/equipment etc. I guess that unless and until one of the commercial channels decides to make gardening programmes - and thus attract advertising from the various sorts of suppliers and so on - it's rather unlikely.

couldn't agree more Michael. I've worked in professional horticulture for over 30 years. I'm a fully qualified garden designer, so , to be honest, I'll learn little from it, but I'm very much looking forward to Carol's work with the novices.

Michael, as you are a new gardener can I ask you what you would like Carol to cover that will help you to get the best results from your garden. I was lucky to have a granddad that passed on his love of gardening and a fair amount of basic knowledge. What content do you think Carol needs to cover to make her section not only a pleasant makeover to watch but also contain the information you want to know to help you make your garden the garden you want. Are the subjects I've suggested too basic? What would you like the makeover to cover in the coming weeks? I'm not trying to put you on the spot - I'm just interested to know!

Some really positive suggestions above....lots of enthusiam and passion! I think Nigel is a lovely hound and he makes me smile....and after a week at work, that is a priceless bonus for me...today however is saturday!! yippee! pricking out plants, sowing more seeds at home...then an hour on the allotment digging furiously before the rain came in bucket loads. Hot bath and ready to do some more of the above tomorrow.....bliss! I used to watch Percy with my dad....but got hook on GW with Geoff. I thought Alan was fab on GW too....and ofcourse Monty, Carol, Rachel & Jo......happy gardening everyone Busy Bee2

22 Mar 2014 20:28

When my dad went to school, he was sent to a private educational establishment called 'Neal's Mathematical School' in the heart of London. Boys of all ages were taught together, and the teacher made the older students into teaching assistants who went and taught the little kids, which begs the question, 'what were they learning themselves then?' The lack of gardening shows on the telly means that the gardening audience is much like the one and only class at 'Neal's Mathematical School'. We are all at different levels, and how does the teacher know where to start and how to pitch the lesson? The point of this thread was that there is 'not enough' about gardening on the t.v. - a point with which I would whole-heartedly agree. If gardening were taken as seriously as cooking, then maybe we would all have programmes pitched at our ability level, but as it is, the programmes are forced to 'teach to the middle', because there are so few of them. I hope that April's return of the Beechgrove Garden will lead to a greater sense of representation among the gardening community. The format is very different, but equally valid in my book.

I know this is a thread about Gardeners World but just want to help brand new Gardeners who aren't getting all the info they need at present. 'How to be a Gardener 1- know your plot' is available on You-tube. It was put on by CactusBumm. Alan Titchmarsh is the presenter, it may be a little light hearted but give it a watch and I hope you find it very informative, I did. Personally I love Gardeners World and Monty and Nigel, Carol, everyone. It doesn't always help me with my garden as I live in Australia now but my Australian neighbour is also a fan. Unfortunately we are still just seeing repeats of Montys first series in his garden! I keep up to date on this web site. Love all the comments and it keeps me in touch with my most favourite thing....British Gardens and Gardeners. Anyway hope this helps anyone new to the wonderful world of gardening. PS. My dog Mister Darcy spends every second in the garden with me, burying empty (sometimes full) pots and sticks so understand perfectly Montys relationship with Nigel. Happy springtime, it's autumn here haha. ????

Mike, do you remember 'Fred Loaves, Bill Sowerbutts and Professor Alan Gemmell of Keele University'? - this intro to Gardeners' Question Time is hard-wired into my memory, as is Alastair Cooke's Letter from America. I think children are short-changed by 24 hour children's t.v. because having nothing better to do than listen to what your parents were listening to, was unintentionally very educational!

Mike, do you remember 'Fred Loaves, Bill Sowerbutts and Professor Alan Gemmell of Keele University'? - this intro to Gardeners' Question Time is hard-wired into my memory, as is Alastair Cooke's Letter from America. I think children are short-changed by 24 hour children's t.v. because having nothing better to do than listen to what your parents were listening to, was unintentionally very educational!

Absolutely - as someone who gained my degrees as a mature student, for many years I firmly maintained that I'd received my education from Radio 4.

I also love GW it's a great start of my weekend but I also think it's always over too soon. That's why I search every channel there is to feed my gardening-hunger .

Here in Belgium we got two usefull shows on atm. called groenland, and de moestuin van Wim. To bad you probably can't see it on tv. But the last one is especially very satisfying.It is a show about a guy's veggie patch. he gives gr8 info about growing vegetables. You can compare it with The edible garden, because he also cooks stuff that he picked from his veg. patch, and it takes much longer then gw. But I was wondering if that other english show will be back? With the scottish elder guy. Bah I forgot the name.. with the lawnmower ar the intro..? And I also always record the a to z show about gardening hehe

Aw, Clack's Farm - I remember it well, and Arthur Billitt - but I was naught but a gardening infant back then - and at least no one could say 'It was better in the old days' because those were the old days

Scott I am just interested to see how Carol transforms the garden full stop being
a new gardener I will watch for any tips she shows, I just don't think
there is enough gardening programmes on tv and unfortunately gardeners
world is short and sweet, there seems to be so much interest out there it would be nice to have more on tv.But I have to say this site is god send I love the idea with the blogs which make great reading and great tips.